


Roadtrip

by polygonshipping



Category: McElroy Vlogs & Podcasts RPF
Genre: Boys In Love, Fluff, M/M, Rated T for language, Road Trips, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-22
Packaged: 2018-11-29 07:04:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11435667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polygonshipping/pseuds/polygonshipping
Summary: griffin and nick take a spontaneous roadtrip





	1. nick hates planes

**Author's Note:**

> hey!!! this is my first ever fic like this (and my 2nd fic ever, check out sick day too if u want) so be gentle! ty for sixwuhzit for helping me proof-read it!

"We... we can't just do that, Griff," Nick shakes his head, laughing. 

 

"Why not?" Griffin is beaming now - he’s clearly hyping himself up. 

 

"First, I don't think we even have enough vacation hours. Second, w-we just can't!" Nick sputters, hands up in defense. 

 

Griffin huffs audibly, crossing his arms. "You're being boring, Nicolas. We've got loads of vay-cay time, so why not?" He flutters his eyes, giving Nick his best puppy dog eyes. "Please? It'll be fun!"

 

Nick rolls his eyes and gives an overdramatic sigh. "Where would we even GO, Griffin? How would I get there? Would we meet halfway?"

 

Griffin shushes him, putting his finger up to his laptop's camera. "Nicolas, please. We'd find somewhere near the South, right? There are lots of cool states. And no, we wouldn't meet halfway! The trip there is half the fun, you'll have to fly out." He grins, and Nick's jaw drops.

 

"Griffin, come on. I can't just up and fly out there so we can have some weird cabin getaway!" Nick looks through his screen and sees the older man, giving another puppy-esque face. He frowns lightly, chewing nervously on his bottom lip before sighing. "When's the next flight?"

 

Griffin's face lights up like fireworks. "Tonight at 10!" He grins, leaning forward with his head in his hands.

 

"Griffin, it's 5 here." Nick replies, a half-smile on his face. 

 

"Tick tock, Nick!" Griffin smiles and taps to an imaginary watch on his wrist, and it makes Nick laugh. The two of them speak a bit more until Griffin has to go, and Nick packs his bags for a mystery adventure. 

 

Five hours later, Nick finds himself at the airport gate. How he got convinced to do this, he isn't sure. Something about Griffin's cheeky smile and bright eyes has a certain way of swaying him. Nick buys an overpriced drink at Starbucks, his rolling suitcase in his other hand. In the suitcase are his clothes, including an obnoxious amount of shirts, most anime-related in some way. Also inside are a few pairs of sunglasses, other accessories and items, and approximately a cubic fuckton of sunscreen, which is a pain to get past TSA. 

 

Since he booked late, he's stuck with shitty seats in coach. He hands his ticket away, and boards the plane with a weak smile. It's already 10 PM, which isn't late at all by Nick standards, but he'll land in Texas at 1:30. By then, Griffin would normally be asleep. Not today, though. Today Griffin will stay up, chewing his nails and waiting impatiently for Nick to land. Nick glances at his phone before take-off, to send a last text to Griffin before he's up in the air. His phone lights up right as he looks at it. 

 

"cant wait to see you, have a safe flight"

 

Nick smiles and goes to to text back, and hits send. 

 

"me neither, i will." 

 

His cellular is long gone, although he tries to send the text about twenty times before giving up and sighing.

 

He orders a shitty watered-down beer and drinks it through the flight, trying to sleep with no luck. Two hours in, Nick is just waiting for it to be over.

 

When the flight attendant calls over the intercom that landing will be occurring soon, Nick is more than happy to put up his tray table and do whatever else it takes for them to land as fast as possible. He peeks out the window and sees the runway illuminated with lights and smiles softly. He's here.

 

Finally, they land, and Nick waits 20 minutes for everyone in front of him to grab their bags from the overhead compartment. He sighs in annoyance, but waits patiently nonetheless. He hefts his bag down once everyone in front has moved enough, letting out a small grunt as his carry-on, a small backpack, comes tumbling into his arms. All of a sudden, he remembers his phone. He doesn't send the text from earlier, instead letting Griffin know he's here. 

 

Judging by the texts Griffin sent, he's been at the airport for nearly an hour now and is waiting by the luggage carousel. Nick makes his way off the plane, yawning, and stretches his legs at the gate before setting off towards Griffin. He reaches the luggage carousel and snags his bag, looking around for Griffin. He sees the other man, slumped asleep on a bench, and smiles. Nick figures he must've fallen asleep while waiting, which makes him feel a bit bad for taking so long, but it's hard to be sad watching Griffin sleep. He's got his head on his hand, glasses crooked on his face as he slumps halfway over the bench. Nick chuckles softly, nudging him. "Griff, wake up."

 

Griffin half opens an eye, before smiling as he awakens fully. "Nicolas!" He cries with a volume not at all appropriate for an airport at two in the morning. Nick is enveloped in a patented McElroy hug, both of them smiling. "Dude, shh," Nick reassures, patting the other's back. Griffin pulls away, still beaming. "Can I help with your bag?" Griffin asks, but Nick soon learns it isn't really a question. Griffin takes Nick's bag despite Nick's protest, and they walk out together. Griffin points out the stars to Nick, although with the clouds and smog they aren't great. They both climb into Griffin's car, and Nick finds himself nearly asleep by the time they get to Griffin's place. 

 

"Come on lazybones, you can sleep on the couch." Griffin says, and Nick is snapped back to reality. He blinks, thanking Griffin, and carries his backpack up to the porch and waits. After getting Nick's suitcase, Griffin catches a glimpse of Nick and smacks his forehead. "Duh, ugh! The door's locked, damn, sorry." He unlocks the door for Nick, following suit. Nick takes a peek around Griffin's house.

 

It's a little cluttered, but it's nice. Cecil the cat is off rubbing against Griffin's legs and purring. For a few moments, Nick just watches Griffin move. Watches him smile and pet Cecil and tell him what a good boy he is, watches him yawn and stretch up just enough so that a peek of stomach shows from under his shirt, watches him rub his eyes and sleepily smile at Nick and - oh! Griffin caught him looking. "Nick, you gonna sleep, or just watch me pet my cat until I head off to bed?" 

 

Nick's cheeks are flushed with pink, and he prays Griffin won't notice under the dim light from the lamp on the table beside the couch. He doesn't seem to, because he actually seems convinced Nick's muffled excuse that he was zoning out. They exchange good nights, and Nick curls up on the couch.

 

A few seconds later, he awakes to something hitting him in the back. It's a blanket, and then a pillow. Griffin stands at the end of the hallway, smiling. "Thought you'd need some, like, bed stuff. Night for real, Nick." He says before disappearing down the hall. Nick is left with a blanket, a pillow, and some unresolved feelings as he drifts off to sleep.


	2. On the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nick and griffin get their shit together and hit the road! ft. cecil, the best kitty cat there ever was

When Nick wakes up, it takes him several minutes to remember where he is. Nick and Griffin have been friends for years now, but if anyone had told Nick when he'd first discovered Griffin’s work that in due time they’d be essentially best friends, there was no way in hell Nick would have believed them. But now, here he is, on Griffin McElroy's couch. Nick can't help but smile. He's on Griffin's couch, about to go on some crazy adventure. Nick checks the time, and discovers it's early. Well, early by Nick's standards. 9:30 AM. 

Cecil is clearly not used to Griffin sleeping in so much, and is meowing anxiously by his food bowl. Nick doesn’t know where the food is, so he can’t indulge the little feline (to his dismay). He considers waking up Griffin, but he can’t bring himself to wake him twice in 24 hours. Instead, he decides to get dressed. He unzips his suitcase and out pops the stack of clothing that had previously been sat on in order to zip shut. Sighing deeply, he tries to sort it a bit.

After a few minutes of trying and failing to organize the absolute chaos in his bag, he just grabs an outfit randomly. It’s a pretty normal t-shirt and jean combo, but it’s much too early in the morning to bother him very much. He has to shoo away Cecil a few times, who seems hellbent on curling up right on top of his clothes pile. He pushes the remaining clothes inside and zips it up, to the dismay of the cat. For a moment, Nick thinks he hears footsteps down the hall, and his eyes light up. After a few seconds, he assumes it was nothing and stands up to go and search for the cat food again. He finally finds it, scooping up a bit in a bowl for Cecil to tide him over.

“Nicolas?” a sleepy voice calls from down the hallway, and Nick jumps, the kibble flying out of the bowl. It scatters across the floor, much to Cecil’s delight. 

“Shit, I’m sorry! I just—“ Nick squeaks, before Griffin laughs. “Dude, it’s fine. I’ll get it. Did Cecil wake you up with his meowing?” 

Nick shakes his head, a wave of anxiety washing over him, and sets down the half-empty bowl down. “Uh, no, I woke up naturally, from the, the sun,” he stutters, smiling weakly as he tries to explain himself. 

“Nick, it’s alright, really,” Griffin reassures him, offering a hug which Nick politely declines (nothing on Griffin, Nick just isn’t feeling it). Nick watches as he rummages in his drawers for a measuring cup, pouring out dry food into it and then into the bowl. He sets it down, and Cecil lets out a final meow before digging in. “You have your stuff all packed?” Griffin asks, not really waiting for an answer. “I wish I had all _my_ stuff gotten together,” he chews nervously on his bottom lip, “it certainly would’ve made all this shit easier, huh?” he laughs, and Nick smiles in response. He knows at this point the best plan is just to let Griffin ramble himself into a little thought tornado, and let him figure it out himself. “I, uh, I left my toothbrush…” Griffin mumbles, pacing, “and I have most of my clothes packed but I forgot other stuff like sunglasses.” 

Nick’s gaze lingers and he realizes that he really, really likes watching Griffin. The way he runs a hand through his hair and tends to push up his glasses when he gets nervous, the way he shoves his hands into his pockets and chews on his lip to think. He feels his face heat up and decides it’s time to look at something else, and his eyes wander around the room. Meanwhile, Griffin is still murmuring to himself, occasionally walking into another room to grab something and throw it into his suitcase, which he’s placed onto the couch where Nick was sleeping. “Do you think I forgot anything?” he asks after a while, and Nick shrugs.

“I dunno, Griff, but if you did I’m sure we can pick something up on the road,” Nick suggests, which seems to calm him down. 

“You’re right, yeah,” Griffin nods, then smiles softly. “Thanks, Nick. This is going to be fun, sure, but travelling can be stressful. It’s easier with you here,” he admits, and Nick’s heart swells. He gives a quick ‘mhm’ before turning away, pretending to repack a pocket in his suitcase. “We leaving soon?” Nick asks after a few moments of silence. 

“I mean, yeah, if you want to,” Griffin says. “I’m having a friend come take care of the house, so if we’re both packed…” He trails off with a shrug. 

Nick nods in response to this, thinking for a moment. “I know I’m pretty much packed. My outfit isn’t great,” he laughs softly, “but I’ve got everything I need.”

Griffin shakes his head. “No, Nicolas, you look fine - great, even,” he beams, one brow slightly raised as he leans against the counter. “Anyways, are you hungry for breakfast or should we get something on the road?”

“Dude, I could slam some pancakes right now,” Nick grins, “I brought my wallet with me.”

“Fuck no, Nick, I’m paying,” Griffin insists, and despite Nick’s protests, holds strong. They both grab their things, and Griffin pops the trunk before shutting and locking the door. “You ready, Nicolas?” he asks, beaming, and Nick nods. They pack up their bags in the trunk, and get seated. Griffin turns on the ignition and starts the car, and that’s when Nick realizes this shit is for real. 

They’re about to go on a road trip with… well, actually, still no specific destination. It’s laughable, almost. The two of them getting together always has silly results, but this is a whole new level of absurd. He almost opens his mouth to point out to Griffin that they don’t even know where they’ll sleep tonight, but he decides against it at the last moment. This limbo they exist in, not knowing where they’ll go next, it’s… well, it’s exciting. It makes Nick’s blood pump in his ears, and he grins for no reason. The excitement of not knowing is, for once in his anxiety-filled life, beautiful. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ay! sorry this one was pretty short, i've been a bit busy and will be going on vacation a bit later this week! thanks to kaltesterne on ao3 for looking it over for grammar n stuff!


	3. Cheeto Puffs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some more fluff!!! soft boys, i PROMISE theyre getting 2 the cabin soon lmao

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no editors we die like men (also my tumblr is polygonshipping.tumblr.com)

Griffin doesn’t notice Nick going through this emotional rollercoaster, considering his eyes are on the road. They pull through a fast food restaurant and grab some breakfast, much to Nick’s delight. Griffin finishes his breakfast first, with Nick not far behind. Ten minutes pass before Griffin turns on the radio, plugging in his phone to the aux cord and playing some music. At first, Nick can’t even tell what it is, considering how low the volume is. Griffin cranks it up, though, and Nick is met with the melodies of a certain Carly Rae Jepsen. 

“Really?” He asks, laughing a little. He knew Griffin had spoken about her before, but he’d always sort of assumed it was a joke? It didn’t seem like the type of music Griffin would like.

“Nicolas, she’s a musical legend,” Griffin snaps back, but his serious tone is betrayed by the grin on his face. Nick sticks his tongue out at Griffin, who sneaks a peek at him when they’re at a red light and grins. Griffin is swaying a little in his seat, bobbing his head to the rhythm of the music, and it makes Nick’s face heat up a bit.

It’s moments like this that make him the most glad that they’re friends - moments where he can just _see_ Griffin. The way he acts when cameras aren’t around. He’s genuinely beautiful like this, with the sun reflecting off his face as he smiles. Speaking of sun, Nick realizes he should probably slather some sunscreen on himself and rummages in his bag. He rubs some sunscreen onto his arms and face, offering some to Griffin. The older man declines, considering his skin tone isn’t porcelain like Nick’s. 

“If you get sunburnt, you can’t complain, legally speaking,” Nick informs, which causes a little laugh to bubble up from Griffin. He yawns, and Griffin asks if he needs a nap. He decides he does, in fact, resting his head on the window and letting his eyes flutter shut. It’s mostly calm as they drive out of town, with Griffin listening to his music and Nick attempting to nap. About an hour out, Griffin decides to stop for gas. He pulls into the nearest station, fueling up with the cheapest option. He takes a peek at Nick and his heart swells. 

There’s no hiding how much Griffin adores every part of Nick. The way his hair falls into his eyes, his long eyelashes, his angular nose and round face - Griffin loves it all. He shakes himself back into reality, paying for the gas and internally berating himself for thinking such sappy thoughts. Nick awakens twenty minutes later, which is around the time Griffin runs out of music. Although, it wasn’t a huge deal, considering he could’ve listened to the same music the whole way. 

“Griffin?” He asks softly, bringing a balled fist up to rub his eyes. Griffin takes a little peek at sleepy Nick and feels his stomach twist and turn in ways he isn’t accustomed to. 

“Yeah?” Griff replies, hands tightening a bit around the wheel.

Nick takes a moment, letting out another small yawn. “Are we almost there?” He inquires with a cheeky grin, and Griffin laughs heartily, shaking his head no. Nick makes a small but dramatic noise of disappointment. 

They go through almost every conversation topic in the book, but spend the most time by far arguing about horses. Nick made the mistake of saying that the term “destroying a horse” seemed disrespectful. His first regret came when Griffin actually genuinely gasped at the statement, and they bickered about it for upwards of ten minutes. It wasn’t really arguing, though, especially when Nick pulled his phone out and insisted on reading off the names of popular race horses to the other.

In particular, he needed to pull over at the fault of one horse named ‘Burgoo King’ because of how hard he cackled. They laughed until they were out of breath, on the side of the road like dorks. After a few minutes of goofs about Burgoo King, they pull back onto the road. It’s almost half an hour before their giggling dies down fully. After that, it’s a little quieter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They've been in the car for hours. The air conditioning is bumped up as high as it can go, but still, the sun beams down on them like nothing else. It’s less goofs now and more each boy trying to act like they aren’t uncomfortably sweaty. Nick in particular is used to the occasional chill of L.A., and has downed three shitty plastic bottles of water in the past fifteen minutes. Unfortunately, this catches up to him fairly quickly and he asks Griffin to pull over at the nearest gas station. His anxiety peaks as he looks inside the building, the hair on the back of his neck standing up as he notices the dirt and grime. He’s got his hands tightened into fists, standing still until he feels a hand on his shoulder. 

He whips around, gasping softly and almost hitting… Griffin. “Griff, fuck, you scared the- you scared the fuck out of me,” he pants.

“Sorry dude, you… just took a while is all. I was gonna chill in the car but I saw you just standing there, n’ I thought I’d check on you..?” Griffin ends it like a question, and it’s clear he’s nervous. Beneath that, though, is genuine concern and warmth. Nick swallows hard, and nods. 

“I’m fine, I just get, I get squicked out by germs sometimes,” he admits softly, wringing his hands together. Griffin begins rubbing his shoulder in small, circular motions, and Nick finds himself melting under the other’s touch. “Thanks, Griff,” he mumbles. “I got it, though,” he reassures, and Griffin nods and heads back to the car. 

“That wasn’t weird, was it?” Griffin asks once Nick has returned to the car (with shitty snacks in tow). Nick shakes his head, ripping open a bag of fluorescent orange puffs and popping one into his mouth. 

“Nah,” he says, wiping his mouth of crumbs, “I appreciate it, man.” He gives a little smile between puffs, and Griffin can’t help but notice how damn adorable it is. Occasionally Nick will lick the dust from his fingers, darting his tongue out to lap at the pads of his fingers. It makes Griffin blush a bit, and he turns his gaze to the road instead as he hits the gas. They pull out from the gas station, and are back on the road. Nick curses loudly as he tries to get his seatbelt on, touching the metal part of the seatbelt. He swears it’s hotter than molten lava and rage incarnate, which makes Griffin giggle. A few minutes into the drive, he’s hit with the worst possible question to be asked while driving. “Griffin, are we almost there?” Nick pipes up from the passenger seat.

Griffin leans forward and turns the music off, turning his head a bit to look at his friend with dead eyes. “No, Nicolas. We’ve been driving the wrong way this whole time and we’re on our way to hell. We’ll never stop driving.” He pauses for a moment, before his composure breaks under Nick’s gaze. “Nah, we’ll be there a little past sunset,” he smiles, tilting his head up to gesture to the setting sun above them. For a few moments, there’s total silence (save for the occasional sounds of Nick crunching on a snack) before Griffin turns the music back on. Softer, this time. It seems fitting, as the sun sets, to have music set with it. 


End file.
